Discourse Analysis on Nationalism Debate Reported in Indian Print Media during Feb-Mar 2016

Shovana Ray, Jitendra Kumar Singh

Abstract

In the age of progressing information technology, media reporting has evolved in the selection, role portrayal, articulation of the news on the basis of presentation and comprehensibility. Both print and broadcast media have reformulated news reporting pattern considering the current global market, advertising and latent political agendas. Use of particular discourse not just influences mindset; its rhetorical presentation modulates perception on an explicit level. News as a discursive tool transforms the reader’s perception on the topic. In the initial phase of 2016, Indian media extensively reported an incident at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) New Delhi and its effect on the pro- and anti- national sentiments. The reporting was in the context of slogan shouting by a group of students, which was perceived to be anti-national. With due course of time, debates restructured the news into a nation-wide sensation involving various facets, such as, importance of nationalism and patriotism, credibility of the university education, involvement of students from different ideological and identity background (Dalit, Kashmiri Muslim, etc.). In this paper, broad categorisation is being made, namely as, JNU (the university, administration, faculty and its culture), the students (JNUSU president, ASFI members and AVBP members), the state (Judiciary, the ruling party and the opposition parties) and the others (media, celebrities, lawyers and citizens). The present study discusses the impact of news as discourse on the ideological position and activities of news characters (actors) as well as its contextual salience in the national politics.